Lock especially for doors in motor vehicles



May 5, 1964 h P. WERNER 3,131,959

LOCK ESPECIALLY FOR DOORS IN MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 15. 1961 UnitedStates Patent 3,131,959 DUCK ESPECIALLY FR DGGRS iN MOTR Y 'VEHICLESPaul Werner, Remscheid-Eastern Germany, assigor to Fritz Keiper,Remscheid-Heeten, Germany, a firm Filed Aug. 15, 1961, Ser. N 131,556Claims priority, application Germany Sept. 6, 1960 9 Claims. (Cl.292-341.17)

This invention relates to locks, and more speciiically to a lock fordoors in motor vehicles, with a latch bolt pivotally mounted at one endon the door of a motor vehicle and adapted to cooperate with a latchkeeper assembly mounted on the jamb lining of the door frame or thedoorpost of the vehicle in such a manner that the opposite, free end ofthe latch bolt can be received in a recess of a bolt receiving member ofthe latch keeper assembly and that the pivoted end of the latch boltengages Va surface subjected to pressure and formed by a hingedlymounted spring-biased member of the latch keeper assembly.

In a known arrangement of this kind the hingedly mounted member is ofwedge-shaped configuration, Whereas the pivotally mounted latch bolt isbifurcated at its free end so that the two are locked when the latter isswung into the former by pushing the bifurcated end of the latch boltover a stationary stud. This known arrangement does not ensure a safenal position of the latch bolt and a chattering of the door cannot beavoided even if close tolerances are observed and especially the Cottercannot absorb any shocks or vibrations to which a lock in a vehicle isnaturally subjected.

'it is the object of the present invention to ensure a safe finalposition of the pivotally mounted latch bolt in the latch keeperassembly.

This object is substantially achieved according to the present inventionin a simple manner by providing a lock which comprises a latch keeperassembly adapted to be mounted on the doorpost of a motor Vehicle forcooperation with a latch bolt pivotally mounted at one end on the doorof the motor vehicle, said latch keeper assembly consisting of a housingcomposed of a base plate and a cover plate arranged in substantiallyparallel spaced relation to one another, a member hingedly mounted inthe housing and having an inner leg With a curved surface and anoutwardly projecting leg having a curved surface, a coil spring actingupon the inner leg of the hingedly mounted member on the side remotefrom the latch bolt, and a bolt receiving member having a recess adaptedto receive the free end of the latch bolt, the curved surfaces forming acontinuous guide surface engaging around said pivoted end of said latchbolt.

ln this manner an initial and nal locking position is produced which isconveniently obtained by the fact that the hingedly mounted member ofthe latch keeper assembly is constructed with two legs. The outwardlyprojecting leg engages behind the pivoted end of the latch bolt alreadywhen the latter is in an intermediate positionand the inner leg comes torest against a stationary'abutment in the tinal position of the latchbolt. This arrangement is chatter-free even without observing closetolerances and it is also adapted to absorb majorishocks. According toanother feature of the invention this eect is increased by making theabutment of elastic material, especially of a rubber-like pressedmaterial or synthetic plastic material, so that it requires nomechanical treatment just as the hingedly mounted member of the latchkeeper assembly which also substantially consists of synthetic plasticmaterial.

According to another feature of the invention the abutment for theclosed position of the hingedly mounted 3,131,959 Patented May 5, 1964member of the latch keeper assembly and the recess for receiving thefree end of the pivotally mounted latch bolt are made of the sameelastic material. They are preferably formed integral with the boltreceiving member which is stationarily arranged in the housing of thelatch keeper assembly. The latch keeper assembly can be supplied readyfor fitting since the housing protects the inner elements and enables atthe same time a reliable and easy mounting.

The base plate may be provided with two bushes through which thefastening screws can be passed. One of the bushes, moreover, may serveas a bearing for the hingedly mounted member of the latch keeperassembly.

Preferably bent-over end walls may be provided on the base plate and thecover plate to close the housing on all sides and hold and guide thehingedly mounted member, the bolt receiving member and the coil springin the housing. The housing is then provided with corresponding recessesto allow for the entry thereinto of the.

pivotally mounted latch bolt. One edge of a recess in the end Walls canserve as abutment for the outwardlyV projecting leg of the hingedlymounted member of the latch keeper assembly in the open positionthereof. In this manner a uniform compact shape of the latch keeperassembly is obtained.

The stationary bolt receiving member of the latch keeper assembly isexpediently made of a different material than the hingedly mountedmember. The hingedly mounted member may, for instance, be produced in a.known manner of a polyamide by the die-casting process without formingblisters, and the stationary bolt receiving member may consist ofVulkolan or another rubberlike synthetic plastic or pressed material.

The coil spring acting upon the hingedly mounted member expedientlyengages the inner leg thereof which defines the iinal locking positionfor the pivoted end of the pivotally mounted latch bolt. Thisarrangement ensures a compact construction and, at the same time,permits the individual elements, especially the inner leg, to begivenmaximum dimensions and ensures a securing at two points.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way ofexample and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FlG. 1 is a top plan view of a latch keeper assembly shown as enclosedin a housing and in the open position;

FIG. 2 is a similar View of the latch keeper assembly shown in theclosed position and with removed cover plate, and

FIG. 3 is a section through the latch keeper assembly taken on lineIII-lll of FIG. 2 with removed movable elements.

' A construction of a latch bolt known per se has been chosen as anexample, which in a manner likewise known per se, is attached to thedoor of a motorvehicle s o that hereinafter only the details necessaryor a good understanding of the invention will be described.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a latch bolt.2, shown by dot anddash lines, is pivotally mounted at one end on the outer side of o ne ofthe lock plates of the door of the motor vehicle. ln the closed positionshown in FIG. 2 the latch bolt 2 engages in a latch keeper assembly3which consists of a hingedly mounted member 6 the Vlatch bolt 2. Therecess 13 has an edge 31 serving as an abutment for the outwardlyprojecting'leg 15 in the yopen position of the lock as shown in FIG. l.An inner leg 17 of the hingedly mounted member 6 has a curved guidesurface 18 which is of circular configuration conformingrtothe pivotedend of the latch bolt 2 and serves as an abutment in the final lockingposition. The inner leg 17 is provided on its side remote from thesurface 18 with a spherical bearing 19 yforthe reception thereon of oneend of a 'coil spring 20 supportedY at the otherV end on the bent-overend walls 11 and 12 in a bearing bracket ments are substantiallyenclosed by the housing and sup-l 21. The bearing bracket 21 isprovidedwith an extension 22 received in two semi-circular openings 23 of thebentover end walls 11 and 12. The inner leg 17 bears with its end 24against an abutment 25 formed by the bolt receivingv member 7. The boltreceiving member l7 is provided with a recess 26 for receiving the `freeend of the latch bolt 2 and an opening 27 for the bush 9. The boltreceiving member 7 rests against the base'plate 4 and is, moreover, heldin position bythe bush 9.

The bushes 8 and 9 are each secured to the baseA plate 4 by means 'ofVarpin 28 and have a recess 29 provided in their free end faces. Thecover plate engages kin the recess 29 with a depression 3ft whichaccommodates they head of the countersunk mounting screw 10 expediently`constructed with an inner hexagonal screw hole. Y

ln the closed position shown in FIG. 2 the inner leg 17 engages withVits end 24 the abutment 25 thereby ensuring a safe' final position ofthe latch bolt 2. The latch keeper assembly may consist of pressedmaterialfespe-V cially synthetic plastic material, which imparts acertain` elasticity to the final position and requires no mechanicaltreatment.l

When the lock is being opened, the pivoted end of the pivotally mountedlatch bolt 2 moves forwardly along the curved rsurface 18 of the innerleg 17 subjected to' pressure and the curved surface 16 of theoutwardly' pro.-vv

the outwardly vprojecting leg engages the edge 31 ofv the recess 13 asshown in FIG. 1. latch keeper assembly is open again. g

VWhen the lock is being closed, i.e. the latch bolt -2 In this positionthe turns inwardly, its pivoted end is brought into engagement with thecurved guide surface V16 and its free end is received'in the boltreceiving recess 26. The latch bolt 2 thereby reaches with its pivotedend an intermediateposition located between the opened and closedpositions in which the outwardlyprojecting leg 15 with'its curved guidesurface 16 is snapped into engagement behind Vthe pivoted end of thelatch bolt 2 before the'latter urges, with its pivoted end, the innerleg 17 against the coil spring and the inner leg 17 reaches with itssurface 18 its final position. The intermediate locking positiontogether with the final position ensures a reliable operation ofthelatch keeper assemblyk even if the latch bolt 2 is not completely swunginto the latch keeper assembly and when the door is slammed. The pressedinnerY eleetOV ported therein. Especially the elastic bolt receivingmember 7 is supported on its entire outer surface.

' The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without.departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Thepresent embodiment is therefore to be considered inail respects asillustrative and notrel strictive, the Yscope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claimsrather than by the foregoing descriptionand, all changes which `come within the meaning and range of equivalencyofthe claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

The outer and inner surfaces of the housing and the inner members mayalso have different. shapes andbe secured in a diierent manner. As hasalready been mentioned, the bolt receiving recess 26 and the abutmentZSmay also consist of separate parts especially when a different degree ofelasticity is required therefor.

I claim:

1. In a lock, a lock keeper assembly, in combination with a latch bolthavingY a curved pivoted end and a free end, said lock keeperassembly'comprising a support; t

armember having an outer leg and an inner leg, rsaid legs having each'abottom face blending into each other to form intermediate the `free endsofv said bottom faces a concavely curved abutment surface correspondingin curing said member and tending to keep the same in said Y lead-inposition, said member being turned from said leadin to said lockingposition by engagementvof said bottom face of said inner leg by thelatch bolt; and receiving means on said' support for receiving the freeend of the latch bolt.

2. A lock as claimed in claim 1 in which said receiving means is formedwith an abutment cooperating with said inner leg for limiting turningmovement of saidV member from said lead-in toV said locking position.

3. A lock as claimed in claim 2, 'wherein the abutment consists ofelastic material. y

4.v A lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the abutment is formedintegral with theibolt receiving means.

5. A lock as claimed in claim l in which said'support is in form of ahousing enclosingsaid member, said spring means and said receivingmeans.

6. A lock as claimed in claim 5 and including an abutment formed by saidhousing and cooperating with said member for limiting turning movementthereof from said locking to said lead-in position. v

7. A lock as claimed in claim 5,Y wherein recesses are provided inthehousing for the entry thereinto of the'pivotally mounted latch bolt. Y

8. A lock as claimed in claim 5, whereinrsaid housing 'Y includes a baseplate; and a pair of bushings mounted on said base plate. Y

. 9. A-lock as claimed in claim 8, wherein saidr'bushings serve forholding the latch keeper assembly in place and one of the bushings formsa bearing for said pivotally mounted member.

References Cited in the file of this patent Y UNITED STATES PATENTSschonitzer l May 2, 193.9 De Vito et al. Apr. 5, 1960

1. IN A LOCK, A LOCK KEEPER ASSEMBLY, IN COMBINATION WITH A LATCH BOLTHAVING A CURVED PIVOTED END AND A FREE END, SAID LOCK KEEPER ASSEMBLYCOMPRISING A SUPPORT; A MEMBER HAVING AN OUTER LEG AND AN INNER LEG,SAID LEGS HAVING EACH A BOTTOM FACE BLENDING INTO EACH OTHER TO FORMINTERMEDIATE THE FREE ENDS OF SAID BOTTOM FACES A CONCAVELY CURVEDABUTMENT SURFACE CORRESPONDING IN CURVATURE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THAT OF THEPIVOTED END OF SAID LATCH BOLT, SAID MEMBER BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ONSAID SUPPORT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN A LEAD-IN POSITION IN WHICHTHE BOTTOM FACE OF SAID OUTER LEG FORMS A LEAD-IN